Dear Newly Admitted Students,
When they said Senior Year was a blur, and you now know it was, then prepare for Freshman Year because it is the mother of the blurs. It seemed like yesterday when I first entered college ready to take my first college class. When I made my first friend and took the longest route just in case THE CAZA PREPAS ATTACKED. It seemed like yesterday when I joined Her Campus and wrote my first article: “Chronicles of a Prepa”. Therefore, I guess it’s time to finish it, finish my Prepa status by welcoming YOU, the class of 2020.
Welcome, as everyone says, to THE HUNGER GAMES. Seriously, they are. In freshman year you will feel as an ant in the middle of a stampede. So to help you through this madness, there are the things you need to keep in mind:
- Your phone and clothing do not make you instantly look older – You will constantly hear: “dress like a slob” and “use your phone to hide your scared face when you hear the ‘panderetas and batucadas'”. It will not help at all. A prepa can be identified a mile away.
- When you say you’re a prepa, you will be automatically be treated as a puppy– Start getting used to the “aww” you will generate when you say you are a freshman. They will instantly find you cute and adorable. TIP: Don’t get mad. They will just treat you as an angry chihuahua, which is worse.
- Practice all summer saying “Professor” instead of teacher – Don’t be that student who says “Maestro” or worse, “Misy”. It burns my mind just to think of it.
- Avoid the temptation of buying the books right after the first class – Everyone tells you this but don’t ignore them. You will save money. Wait for the second day of class and search the syllabus. I bought a $200 book for the online code and the professor then said that he doesn’t use it. Don’t be like Verónica(me
- There are other places to eat than Plaza Uni and el Centro – I know Plaza Uni and El Centro seem like the safe zones but there are better and cheaper places in campus and/or outside. Ask older classmates for recommendations. Why eat pizza when you can eat mofongo?
- Expand your circle of friends – College is the time for meeting new people with different perspectives and styles. Sometimes we tend to stay with our high school friends because we are scared. However, all those freshman are new like you, so don’t be afraid of talking to them or even older classmates. College is the time where the difference in age is kind of blurry and no one truly cares if you’re one or two years younger.
- Accept the fact that your high school friends will grow apart – Talking about friends…Maybe it’s because they study in the US or just have different interests, but that bond will not be the same. Maybe you will not talk much or go out but when you meet it will be like you were never apart. Don’t let your friends become strangers, text or call. You will have more to update.
- There will be no other year like freshman year – It will be one of the most exhilarating experience of your life and just before you know it you are choosing your second year classes. So appreciate it, get out of your comfort zone and just be a prepa.